The Dog-days of Youth
by Kei Masaki
Summary: A day in the life, in the alternate world of ep.26


The Dog-days of Youth  
  
An Evangelion fanfic  
  
By Keiichi Masaki  
(Keiichi_dono@hotmail.com, keiichi-dono@geocities.com)   
  
Eva is the property of Gainax and A.D.Vision, among other people.  
  
Continuity note: this is set in the alternate universe depicted in eps. 26, probably one of the coolest parts of the entire series, and is from the perspective of the last person you'd expect. You'll figure it out as the story winds along.  
  
"This is the time to remember, for it will not last forever...."  
--Billy Joel, "This is the Time"  
  
"Professional matters be damned. We're still kids, after all."  
--Toji Suzuhara, Neon Genesis Evanjellydonut, pt. 2 (By Andrew Huang)  
  
It's a bright, sunny day, the kind you hate to waste in school.  
Ah, well. There's plenty of entertainment here.  
As usual, Toji's reacting dramatically. "Oh, man! So you actually saw her panties, then?"  
Shinji wears a slightly guilty look on his face. "Well..... It wasn't a good look, really....." He waggles his eyebrows in a slightly lecherous fashion, adopts a conspiratorial tone, and holds the tips of his thumb and middle finger barely apart. "....just a little flash."   
Off to one side, Asuka wears a look of mild disgust. She finds the topic of conversation merely annoying because it's Shinji talking. If it were me or   
Toji....perish the thought.  
"Oh, man!" Toji is covering his face with his right hand, playing the "damn my luck"-role to the hilt. "I can't believe you're the one with all the luck--owowowowOW!"  
Enter Hikari, a rather peeved expression on her face. She has a death grip on Toji's ear. Both Shinji and I wince in sympathy, expressions of fright on our faces. Of course, they ain't nothing compared to the one on Toji's face.  
"Just what are you talking about, Mr. Suzuhara?" snarls the twin-ponytailed girl.   
Without waiting for a response, she grabs his jacket collar with her free hand and hauls Toji to his feet, all the while stretching his ear like a rubber band. "It's time to put that idle butt of yours to work. Change the water in the flower vases!"  
Who would have thought that this demure-looking girl could terrify the toughest boy in school?   
Anyone who can see. Toji's practically cringing. "Ow, she's mean!"  
"Did you just say something?"  
Toji snaps his mouth shut and lets Hikari lead him away. Shinji turns to me, sympathy mingling with an air of "I'll never let that happen to ME" on his face. His voice reflects that attitude. "Poor Toji's so carpetbagged. It's sad, isn't it?"  
Ah, Shinji, it already has, you just don't know it yet....  
Evidently Asuka agrees. "Look who's talking."  
He whips around to face her. "What did you say?"  
She smirks. "It's true."  
He's on the defensive now, irritation in his voice--irritation mixed with more than a little hurt. "How so?"  
"It just is! Accept it!"  
"Hey, why do you treat me like this?" Now he allows the hurt full rein. Anyone can see it, the way he looks at her, even when he's pissed at her.  
"Hey, that hurts, you idiot!" And it's obvious she feels the same way. I still don't get it. Are they blind? Or are they just trying to keep themselves from getting hurt?  
Oh, well. We're just kids. We've got plenty of time.  
Still, it gets frustrating. Maybe it's because I'm not directly caught up in a relationship like that, but I can see thing clearly. Shinji puts up with Asuka's nagging for the same reason for the same reason that she wakes him up every morning, even at the risk of being late herself. And for the same reason that Toji lets Hikari push him around like that, and the same reason that she gets jealous every time he even says another girl's name.  
Sometimes I wonder when my turn's gonna come.  
But then I look around and ask myself what the hurry is. This may well be the best time of my life. It's peaceful. Friends surround me. No real responsibilities. As much freedom as one my age could ask. And I'm happy.  
I feel the warm sun wafting through the open window, and I shift so that it warms my back. As I do, a relaxed sigh escapes my lips--, as does an assessment of my situation.  
"The calm....the peace and tranquility."  
Ironic, huh? To one side, two of my best friends are squabbling, doing their damnedest to ignore the feeling everyone else knows are there. To another side, my other best friend is being dragged around the room by his girlfriend, who seems to be competing with Asuka for mercurialness.   
But I'm happy.  
Life can take its time catching up.  
Behind me, I hear the roar of a sports car motor. Here comes sensei.  
"Hey guys, she's here!"  
  
You know where to send C&C.  
  
  



End file.
